Across the Horizon
by snowangel420
Summary: Third installment of the United We Stand, Divided We Fall series. Six years after Everlasting, Chara tries to handle being the oldest kid in the village, being the future Cheiftess, and being an older sister to her four-year old little brother, Michael. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

Across the Horizon

Third installment of the United We Stand, Divided We Fall series.

Six years after Everlasting, Chara tries to handle being the oldest kid in the village, being the future Cheiftess, and being an older sister to her four-year old little brother, Michael. But when tragedy strikes the Haddock family, can Chara face her fear and do what's right, or will she let her fear control her life?

Chapter 1

Hiccup bolts up in bed, his fatherly instincts telling him one of his children is in distress. He looks and sees his wife, Becky, sleeping peacefully. He shakes his head, not knowing how she can be a light sleeper but still be asleep when he's...hearing screams?

Hiccup focuses on the situation. He runs down the hall to his daughter and son's room.

He sees his four-year old son, Michael, awake.

"You all right, son?" Hiccup asks.

"Yes, Daddy. It's Chara." Hiccup nods at his son and walks over to his six-year old daughter's bed. Michael settles back down to sleep. Hiccup puts a hand on his daughter's right shoulder. Chara bolts up, tears streaming down her face.

"You all right, Chara?" Hiccup asks, kneeling down to his daughter's level.

"It hurts. Where my arm was." Chara says.

Hiccup sits on the bed next to his daughter and puts an arm around his daughter, rubbing her good shoulder, looking at the space where her left arm was when she was a baby.

"Does it ever hurt for you, Daddy? Where your leg was?"

"Yeah, it does, sweetheart. I had that lower leg with me for 15 years. And it still hurts even after 12 years of having my prosthetic."

"Do you ever cry about it?"

Hiccup chuckles and smiles at his daughter.

"I do."

"What do you do about it?"

"Well, usually I either go to Grandma or your mom for comfort."

"Does it help? To cry?"

"It does. It really helps, sweetheart. You know what also helps?"

"What?"

"Talking about it. Your grandfather told me how it happened to me and since then I've been talking about it."

"But I never really understood how it happened to me."

Hiccup looks out the window and sees the sun rising.

"How about your mother and you and I go out for a flight when the sun has completely risen? We can go to where it happened and talk about it." Hiccup says. Chara nods. Hiccup holds his daughter on his lap. Chara leans on her father's chest and falls asleep.

"I've got you, sweetheart. Daddy's got you." Hiccup says.

Hiccup looks up and sees his wife standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe.

"What are you doing up?" Hiccup asks.

"I'm a light sleeper, remember? We have known each other for seven years."

"Why didn't you get up when you heard Chara?"

"I knew you could handle it. You've had more experience with what she goes through than I do." Becky moves and sits next to her husband.

"She still needs her mother, you know."

"I know. How's Michael's eye doing?"

Their son had unfortunately gotten into a fight with Snotlout and Astrid's son, Toby, a couple of days before.

"It's doing okay. The swelling is going down."

"Good."

Soon, the sun rises.

"Well, I'm going to go get dressed and get Seraphina ready. Meet you two out front in ten minutes?" Becky asks.

Hiccup nods.

Seraphina is Becky's Deadly Nadder. Hiccup had helped Becky befriend the Nadder for their first wedding anniversary when Seraphina was just a hatchling and just when Chara was only three months old.

Becky leaves to let Hiccup help their daughter dress. Soon, the two meet Becky outside, who has already mounted Seraphina. Hiccup puts Chara on Toothless and gets on behind her and puts his foot and prosthetic in the pedals. They take off into the sky.

Soon, they get to the Cove and land. It brings tears to Becky's eyes as she remembers the day she almost lost her daughter.

"What happened to me?" Chara asks as the three sit in the grass.

Hiccup squeezes Becky's hand.

"Well, you were only about 9 hours old. We were in the Great Hall and Daddy was introducing you to the villagers. My biological parents came in."

"What does biological mean?"

"It means that there is similar blood in the people. For example, you and Mommy have similar blood and you and I have similar blood." Hiccup says.

"Okay."

"My biological parents aren't nice people, Chara. Your father sent you and I here on Toothless. Soon, my biological father came. And I begged him not to get near you." Becky says, trying to compose herself. Hiccup rubs her shoulder.

"Are you okay, Mommy?"

"Sorry, sweetie. It's just really hard for Mommy to talk about." A few tears fall down Becky's face. Hiccup rubs her back.

"I'll tell the rest of it even though it's hard for me, too. Your biological grandfather took you and he used an axe to chop your arm off. Mommy used a bit of fabric from her outfit to try to stop the bleeding. She wrote a note telling me her biological father came and chopped your arm off. She got the wound wrapped in fabric but she didn't think it would hold for very long. She told me to please come with Jane to the Cove and to hurry."

"You remember all of that?" Becky asks.

"How could I forget?" Hiccup kisses his wife on the forehead.

"He told me you were dead. He said you were foolish because you refused to tell him where we were. If you're a fool, then I'm a fool's wife." Becky says in tears. She leans against Hiccup.

"Want me to continue?" Becky nods.

"Okay. Toothless delivered the note with the severed arm. We got to the Cove and your mother was in tears and...she blamed herself for what happened and I told her it wasn't her fault. Jane took care of you and soon Aunt Astrid, Uncle Snotlout, Uncle Tuffnut, Aunt Vanessa, Aunt Ruffnut, Uncle Fishlegs, Grandma and Granddad arrived. We were terrified that we had lost you. We couldn't hear you crying anymore. But soon, you were crying again with your wound stitched up and you were okay." Hiccup says, in tears.

"Can I go back to the village? It's almost time for my lessons."

"Of course, sweetheart. Don't let what we told you distract you today. Okay?" Becky says.

"Okay."

"Toothless, take Chara home, bud." Toothless "nods" and he and Chara leave.

"Hiccup, I'm sorry. I just...the memory of what happened...I knew we were going to have to tell her someday...I just didn't think it would have been this soon." Becky says, fresh tears coming.

"Shhh. It's okay. It's okay."

"Is it wrong that I still feel guilty after all of these years?" Becky breaks down. Hiccup holds her close.

"Shhh. Shhhh. Shhhhh. It's not wrong, but you didn't do anything wrong. I promise." Hiccup says.

"Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't lie to you." Hiccup says, kissing Becky's head.

Soon, Becky and Hiccup go home. Hiccup goes to do his chiefing duties and Becky stays at home with her son and mother-in-law. While Valka and Michael color pictures, Becky straightens up the house.

Before they know it, it's the afternoon and Chara walks from her lessons in as Becky is cooking dinner and Michael is taking a nap. Valka is straightening her room.

"How were your lessons today, Chara?" Becky asks, cutting carrots as her daughter sits down at the dining room table with her homework.

"They were okay." Becky stops cutting, as her first-born is not her usual chatty self. She turns and kneels next to her daughter.

"Did something happen today, sweetheart?" Becky asks.

Chara puts her head down on the table.

"Chara, what happened, sweetheart? Did someone make fun of you?" Chara tearfully nods.

"Who was it?"

"It was...it was Andria." Andria is the five-year old daughter of Ruffnut and Fishlegs.

"What did she do?"

Chara looks up at her mother for the first time since she's been home. Becky is faced with a bruised lip and a scratched up nose.

"Oh, my gosh. Andria did this to you?"

"She said I was only half a person since I only had one arm." Chara breaks down and Becky holds her daughter close.

"Shhh. Sweetheart, you are not half a person. Even if you had half a body, you'd still be a person and the daughter that I love." Becky says.

"Really?"

"Really. Did you tell someone about this?"

"I told Uncle Tuffnut. He cleaned me up."

"Okay. Don't worry. Mommy and Daddy will take care of it."

"Mama?"

"Yes, Chara?"

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, I'm not mad at you, sweetheart. I'm mad at your Aunt Ruffnut and Uncle Fishlegs and your cousin Andria. Andria hurt you and I'll make sure things are resolved."

"How?"

"You'll see." Becky holds her daughter close, and only let's go when Chara insists she does her homework.

"Chara, you are such a little knowledge-seeker. And that is not a bad thing. The more you know, the better. But sometimes you have to be careful about what you know. And how to use that knowledge." Becky says, resuming the carrot-chopping.

"How come?"

"Well, it's like this: say a friend of yours tells you a secret, but it's not a secret that you should keep, like your friend's father is abusing her. What would you do?"

"Well, I would tell Daddy. Because my friend's life is more important than a secret."

"Atta girl. We've raised you well. Here's a tougher one..."

"Mom?"

"Yes, Chara?"

"Can I get back to my homework now?"

"Sure, sweetheart. Sorry about that. I tend to ramble sometimes."

"That was a vocabulary word today!"

"Really? How do you spell it and what does it mean?"

"R-a-m-b-l-e! It means to walk without an intended route or to talk in an...inconsequential way."

"Good job, baby girl! When I was your age, I doubt I could even pronounce inconsequential!" Becky says, stopping her work to smile at her daughter.

"What were you like when you were my age and in your teen years?"

Becky has a flashback of her biological father beating her. Locking her in the hall closet for an hour minimum. Becky's breathing becomes rapid and,

going to her knees, a panic attack sets in

"Mommy? Mommy, are you okay?" Chara asks, kneeling in front of her mother.

Soon, Chara begins to panic.

"Grandma! Grandma!" Valka runs down the stairs, hearing her granddaughter's call. She spots her daughter-in-law. Valka kneels next to Becky.

"Chara, go get Daddy. And hurry!" Chara nods at her grandmother and runs out of the house.

"Try to relax, sweetheart. Try to relax." Valka says.

Meanwhile...

"Daddy! Daddy!" Chara calls.

"Chara? Sweetie, what are you doing out here?" Tuffnut spots his niece and runs to her.

"Uncle Tuffnut! I can't find Daddy and Mommy's having trouble breathing! Grandma's staying with her while I find him!"

"Don't worry, sweetheart. We'll find your Daddy." Tuffnut picks up his niece and they go off to find Hiccup. They spot Gobber.

"Gobber! Is Hiccup around?"

"I haven't seen him around here, Tuffnut. What's up?"

"Becky's having a panic attack. Valka's with her but we can't find Hiccup."

"I'll send him home if I see him."

"Thanks, Gobber."

Tuffnut and Chara run around the village, asking people if they've seen Hiccup. They see him talking with Snotlout.

"Hiccup!" Hiccup turns and sees Tuffnut and his daughter running towards him.

"Tuffnut? Chara? What are you doing out so late?"

"It's Mommy! She's having trouble breathing! Grandma's with her. I'm scared, Daddy." Hiccup kneels in front of his daughter.

"You did the right thing finding a grown-up, sweetheart. Don't worry. Mommy's going to be okay. Tuffnut, watch Chara. I'll send my mom when Becky's calmed down enough." Hiccup sprints off towards his wife. When he gets into the house, Becky is still having trouble breathing.

"Thank Thor you're here, Hiccup. I can't get her calmed down."

Hiccup kneels in front of his wife.

"Try to breathe slowly, baby girl. I'm here." Hiccup holds Becky close and pats her back.

Soon, Becky breaks down, able to breathe again. Hiccup holds her close.

"Shhh. It's okay. You're okay. I'm here. I'm here. Shhhh, baby. You're okay. You're okay. Hiccup's got you. I've got you."

Hiccup turns to his mom.

"Mom, Chara is with Tuffnut."

"I'll go get her. Get Becky upstairs."

"Okay. Thanks, Mom." Valka strokes her son's and daughter-in-law's hair and then walks off to get Chara.

Hiccup holds Becky close as he walks upstairs with his wife in his arms.

"Shhh. I'm here, honey. I'm here." Hiccup holds Becky in his arms and soon she falls asleep.

"Oh, baby girl. I love you so much." Hiccup kisses Becky on her forehead.

"Daddy?" Hiccup looks up and sees his son.

"Hey, buddy. You okay?" Hiccup whispers.

Michael nods.

"Is Mommy okay?" Michael whispers.

"She was having a hard time breathing, buddy, but she's okay now." Hiccup says.

"Why was she having a hard time breathing?"

"Well, buddy, she was having something called a panic attack. A panic attack happens when you think of something that makes your stomach go in knots. When you have a panic attack, you feel overcome with emotions and you can have two reactions: you can either have a hard time breathing or you can cry."

"Has Mommy ever had a panic attack before?"

"Yes, she has. In fact, she had one the day I met her. Uncle Fishlegs had asked her about her home life and Mommy started having a hard time breathing. Thankfully, I got to her in time before she stopped breathing and I helped calm her down."

"Are you the only one that can calm her down?"

"I don't like to brag, but I think I am the only one that can calm Mommy down."

"What if you're not around, Daddy? What will happen to her?" Michael asks.

"Well, son, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Hiccup says.

Michael nods and goes back to his room.

"Mommy!" Hiccup hears the voice of his six-year old as she runs up the steps.

"I tried to stop her, Hiccup, but..." Valka starts, but Hiccup puts a hand up.

"It's okay, Mom."

"Mommy? Daddy, is Mommy okay?" Chara asks.

"She'll be fine, sweetheart. She just needs some sleep." It's then Hiccup notices Chara's lip and nose.

"What happened?" Hiccup asks.

"It was Andria. She said I was only half a person because I only have one arm." Chara says, in tears.

"Don't worry. Tomorrow, we'll take care of it." Hiccup says, going over to his daughter and hugging her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Hiccup wakes up, startled, tears streaming down his face. He looks next to him to see his wife sleeping peacefully. Trying not to disturb Becky, Hiccup gets out of bed and goes to the window.

Soon, Becky wraps her arms around her husband.

"You okay, Hiccup?"

"I don't know, Becky. It was that stupid nightmare again. The last time I had it was the night I met you."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Hiccup sits on the edge of the bed and Becky sits next to him.

"It was when my dad died. I tried to revive him...I just felt so guilty. I still do. Why couldn't it have been me?"

"Hiccup, your dad saved you out of a father's love. Like any parent would do for their child. Gods forbid, if anything happened to one of our kids, wouldn't you do anything to make sure they were safe?"

"Of course. They're my kids."

"Exactly my point, Hiccup. A parent would do anything for their child. Your dad is another example of that."

A few silent minutes pass.

"I'm...um...I'm gonna go to the Cove. Clear my head for a bit." Hiccup says.

"Okay, honey." Becky nods and watches as her husband goes down the steps.

When Hiccup comes back, it's about nine in the morning. He sees Becky outside the front door, in tears.

"Becky, baby, what's wrong?"

"The kids are missing. We searched everywhere on Berk. We can't find them." Becky says.

"Don't worry. We'll find them. Where's my mom?" Hiccup says, putting an arm around his wife.

"She's in the Great Hall gathering everyone up for a search party."

The couple goes to the Great Hall.

"Okay, everyone! We've got two kids missing! They just so happen to be me and my wife's kids." Hiccup says.

The crowd breaks into a murmur.

"Now, you all know what Chara and Michael look like. We don't know where they are and they haven't been found on Berk. It's crucial that we find them as soon as possible."

The crowd looks at their chief and Hiccup splits the crowd into teams. Before they can disperse, a scream rings out outside the Great Hall.

Becky and Hiccup run out. They see Ruffnut at one of the lower docks and run to her.

"Ruff! What's going on?" Hiccup asks.

"I found them! But, you're not going to like what you see."

Becky and Hiccup look over the edge of the dock.

Their son is being drowned by his sister.

"Chara!" Hiccup and Becky run down to the bottom dock.

"Chara, stop!" Becky says. She dives into the water and manages to grab her son from her daughter. She hands him to Hiccup and she grabs Chara and pulls her to the dock.

"Chara Rose Haddock! What were you thinking?! Don't answer that! You are in so much trouble, young lady! Do you have any idea what you could've done to your brother?!" Becky says, kneeling in front of her daughter.

"Becky." Becky looks over at Hiccup.

"He's gone." Becky goes over to her son.

"No...no no no no. He can't be gone." Becky drops to her knees, sobbing. Hiccup holds her close.

"Ruffnut, take Chara home. We'll deal with her when we get to it. Chara, you're grounded until further notice." Hiccup says.

~.~

Soon, Hiccup and Becky go home with their son's body in Becky's arms. They're met with an angry Valka.

"How could you? Treating that little girl like that?" Valka asks.

"She drowned her brother!" Becky says.

"She's a little girl! She didn't know what she was doing!"

"Oh, she knew perfectly well what she was doing, Valka! Regardless of her age!"

"I want you out of my house." Valka says.

"Mom!"

"Fine! I'll leave." Becky runs up the stairs to pack. Hiccup follows.

"Baby, she'll come around."

"And what if she doesn't, Hiccup? I've seen Monster-In-Law, Hiccup! I know what Viola did to Charlie!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"It's a modern thing. You wouldn't understand."

"Oh, yeah. Cause you're completely open about your modern life!"

"You know why I don't talk about it, Hiccup!"

Without another word, Becky grabs her packed bag and leaves to goes to Tuff's house (he's still living with his parents since Ruffnut married Fishlegs). She knocks on the door.

"Becky? What are you doing here? Are you okay?" Tuffnut asks his sister.

"Can I come in?" Becky asks, wrapping her sweater around her.

"Yeah, of course."

Becky walks into the house.

"Can I get you anything?" Tuffnut asks.

"No. Thank you. Not that I don't think it's sweet, why are you acting kind of out of character?"

"Ever since Ruffnut got married, I've been wanting to try to be sweeter, especially to the girls."

"You do know that one of them is married and your sister, another one is engaged, and the other is your sister?...And I'm not talking about Ruffnut for the last one."

"So you and Hiccup are getting a divorce?"

"I don't know. You don't mind if I stay here for a few days, do you?"

"No, of course not. Do you want me to get the others over here so we can talk about it?"

Becky nods.

Soon, Astrid, Snotlout, Vanessa, Ruffnut, and Fishlegs come over to the Thorston house.

"I can't believe Hiccup! I know he's our chief, but thinking he'd understand what you've been through? Thinking he knew what modern life is like? Only you and Vanessa know what it's like!" Astrid says.

"I just...I really thought we would make it this time...wait a sec..." Becky says.

"What?" Snotlout asks.

"It's not Hiccup's fault! It's my fault! He said I wasn't open about my modern life and he was right! I have to go!" Becky runs out. And, of course, it's pouring.

She runs into Hiccup in the center of the plaza.

"Hiccup!"

"Becky! I was just about to come find you!"

"I'm so sorry, Hiccup! You were right! I wasn't open enough about what I went through with my modern life! I should tell you more about it!"

"You don't have to tell me everything. Just come back home. Chara's starting to feel really guilty." Hiccup and Becky get closer to each other.

"Like pouty guilty or..."

"Suicide guilty."

"Chara? Does she even know what suicide is?"

"Someone must've told her. I honestly don't know who though."

"Someone's watching her, right?"

"Of course. My mom is."

Becky nods.

"I love you, Becky."

"I love you, too, Hiccup."

The two kiss passionately. Soon, they run to their house. Valka is waiting for them.

"Jane got here just in time. What is with descendants of her and suicide?" Valka asks, gesturing to Becky.

"Mom."

"I know, I know. That was uncalled for."

A few silent minutes pass.

"Becky."

"Valka? I...I have to talk to you, Valka."

"I need to speak with you, too, sweetheart."

"I'm sorry I took Chara's side."

"I'm sorry I'm like this." Becky says as Valka speaks.

"You go first." Valka says.

"No, no. You go first." Becky says.

"All right. I'm sorry I said that Chara didn't know what she was doing. She did know what she was doing."

"I'm sorry I'm so messed up. So suicidal and so depressed all the time. I can't help it. My past has made me like this."

Valka walks over to her daughter-in-law.

"Sweetheart, we are here for you. We are never going to let anything happen to you."

The two women hug.


End file.
